HMS Southampton was a Type 42 destroyer launched in 1979 and in service until 2009. Like any other warship, the members of the ship’s company were very proud of their ship and a number of commemorative items were produced for them. Today we are looking at an example of a pewter tankard produced for members of the Petty Officer’s Mess:

The ship’s badge is engraved on the front, with lady justice holding her sword and scales, stood in a castle:

Like most tankards, this one holds a pint and the dints suggest it has been well used over the years!

Back in 2006, HMS Southampton was involved in one of the biggest drugs seizures up until that point in the Caribbean:

The destroyer HMS Southampton was being refuelled by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Grey Rover on Wednesday evening when a suspect cargo vessel was spotted during a multinational surveillance operation involving the Dutch navy and the US coastguard.

The two British ships immediately broke away from each other and approached the vessel, MV Rampage, as fast as they could in a pincer movement as the destroyer’s Lynx helicopter intercepted it.

Two groups of sailors in inflatable boats boarded the suspect ship and, after a four-hour search, found 3.5 tonnes of cocaine wrapped in bales in the forward section. The Ministry of Defence said the cocaine would have had a British street value of about £350m. Rampage and her crew were being held yesterday by US coastguards.